(30-03-2012 04:07 AM)Smooshmonster Wrote: It was a joke, and a reference to Mass Effect.

But, Lucradis, You are very right. Gaming is a very male-dominated medium still. The problem isn't just online gaming, I've actually had very good experiences gaming on steam, but it is also that most video games are still aimed at a male audience. It's not that we can't still enjoy them, but it's very obvious when you're playing. From the design of female characters, to the dialogue, to the advertising campaigns themselves. Even BioWare fall terribly short when it comes to this.
And this isn't just just limited to video games. You will see it also in the concept art for rpg books such as D&D and Vampire the Masquerade. Women are scantily clad and hyper-sexualised in overwhelming numbers.

So it's not that much of a surprise that women are under-represented in online games and at cons. I remember last year, my prize for winning an award at a con was an "iron GM" shirt (because I'm awesome like that. The available sizes could've clothed 4 of me. Apparently, the response I got from the organisers was: "People who win this award are usually men. Big Men."

Could not get into Mass Effect. I love Bio Ware, just not big on Sci Fi. *Sigh*
It is very true though, the video gaming world is basically a man's world. Have encountered a lot of rudeness from players because I am a female. Then I do not make any habit of hiding it. Always use sign ons that imply I am a female gamer. Have also tried to make a habit of muting too. IT DOES WONDERS! This way I can concentrate on the game and enjoy mauling people, if that is indeed the purpose, and not have to hear...."Are you a girl?" and "Shouldn't you be making someone a sandwhich?" Lol those are some of the petty ones too. Have had some real ugly experience too.
What makes me feel good is the every so often occassion where I happen to win a match of free for all or simply have the top score on my team and leave those same jerks going. "Uuuuuuhhhh."

(30-03-2012 09:05 AM)germanyt Wrote: I cant' even touch another game until I finish ME3. Then I might go back to Gran Turismo or Tiger Woods.

Now that you've been exposed to the awesomeness of RPGs, you might want to try Skyrim.

I tried a little bit of Skyrim. Still not sure what to make of it. It is a bit different from a lot of the rpgs I have played.
Hope that Bio Ware does come out with a Dragon Age three....already getting closer and closer to platnuming the first two. Already beaten each two to three times and just not done yet. I am such a Dragon Age nerd. Lol!

I want to play skyrim cause I can be a kitty =p
My main attraction has been fighting games I played them a lot until I started trying to do it seriously. Going to a few tournaments proved to me that I don't like the fighting game crowd =p I've known 100s of female gamers, the simple truth of why we seem so uderrepresented is that we don't really like the crowds.
Now that everything is online it's a bit different and we've started being more social with our gaming, but still most hard core girls I know are not interested in being around crowds of gamers. It's not our fault that the guys created such a horribly toxic environment. I'm surprised you don't know more female gamers having an interest in music. The rhythym game crowd was one of the first arcade scenes girls could really get into.
The worst random jab I got was when I was in a tournament for Guilty Gear X. My first round I was called to come play, and the announcer turned to me and said, "oh I thought you were a girl". My only guess as to why he said this is that gamers are some of the few who really are used to the name Lilith.
Due to my insistance in being around gamers I got very used to pointing guys down to my chest so that they'll shut up =p Tournament gamers are probably the most disrespective people I've met. They don't give you any credence unless you oversexualize. I'm not going to play a game in a slutty outfit >.>

I'm not a non believer, I believe in the possibility of anything. I just don't let the actuality of something be determined by a 3rd party.

Over-sexualization of women was one of the disappointments of the Star Wars: The Old Republic game. It wasn't as bad as some games, but it was a disappointment.

I played one free-to-play game called Crimecraft where if you picked a woman character, she always wore heels of some sort. Stiletto heels. The character model was built so that the feet were in this position, there was no alternative. Keep in mind that this was a first person shooter. Not only that, but most of the outfits for women were outfits that you'd expect to see a hooker wearing on the street corner, and that's not an exaggeration.

Gamers are as bad as any other group, maybe worse. I can't say I'm really any better (except in the way of treating women gamers- I know I'm better than most after hearing the horror stories and seeing how my wife sometimes gets treated in gaming communities), but I'm much more aware of it now and more able to spot when game companies are trying to manipulate.